One of SXSW’s central topics this year is the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which has cast a pall over the festival and its attendees. Whether it’s individual investors worried about their own investments, tech startups feeling McCarthyized by banks’ strict lending policies, or even celebrity attendees just jetting in to escape the headlines, SVB has disrupted pretty much everything going on inside and outside of its walls.
Early buzz around Aubrey de Grey’s idea that humans can live to 1,000 or more years is grabbing the attention of people both in and out of the startup scene. Driven by a desire to live longer and healthier lives, entrepreneurs are seeking ways to leverage cutting-edge technology and advances in biological sciences towards extending human life spans. While there are many hurdles yet to be overcome – from developing effective therapies for aging-related diseases to ensuring that long-living humans would be happy and comfortable – those involved feel optimistic about prospects for a future in which humans can easily maintain their vigor well into centenarian territory.
The panel was a bit odd because the moderator asked everyone to put their phone away for the discussion and then when it came time for Deming to answer a question, she would check her phone. She seemed very distracted and not very interested in what was being said. It’s strange because it seems like she should be fully invested in the conversation, especially as someone who is talking about creating a long-term portfolio with her company The Longevity Fund.
When Halioua’s investor asked her how her company was doing, she didn’t respond with a stale statistic or business update. Instead, she took time out of her busy day to empathize with the person asking and joked about how their investments would be worth less in the coming years. By contrast, Halioua was glued to her Apple Watch throughout the entire talk, seeming more interested in the new features it had been released with than in what her investor had to say.
Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand, both 2020 Democratic Presidential candidates, have announced their support for the passage of the Safe and Secure Online BDS Bill, also known as The Digital Democracy Act. This bill would prevent companies from doing business with any company that participates in or supports boycott, divestment, or sanctions against Israel. The bill has bipartisan support and is hoped to help counter criticism of Israel from some within American society.
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Valdez asked the panelists how the collapse of SVB had impacted them and their businesses. Deming noted that in case the audience wasn’t aware, this was effectively “the worst banking crisis since 2008” for startups. Some entrepreneurs who were unable to find funding became more hesitant to pursue new business opportunities, while others found themselves struggling financially.
What is interesting about this observation is that it contradicts the general trend of technology industry panels where participants are often seen checking their devices during the presentation. This difference in style may be due to the fact that most investor and founder interactions happen in person, whereas onstage presentations allow for a more fluid communication style. Either way, it provided an interesting contrast that viewers could appreciate.
The SXSW Startup Village is already buzzing with anxiety and excitement for the day’s events. The talk of the show is SVB, with different levels of familiarity among participants. While it may be early to call this the talk of SXSW, watching that kind of candid anxiety onstage from established startup industry players tells us that this year’s festival won’t be about what it probably intended to focus on.
